maanantai 30. marraskuuta 2020

PictureCorrect.com: Where to Put Hands in Photos

This article is based on concepts from The Art of Portrait Photography if you want to dig deeper for further training. It is currently over 82% off for Cyber Monday if you use the discount coupon CM20 at checkout.

There are three modes of non-verbal communication in humans.

The first and most apparent is facial expression, including using our eyes and mouths.

The second is body language—how we position ourselves.

The third is our hands.

hands in photography

From left: Photos by Cristian Newman, Kent Dufault and KTMD Entertainment

Immanuel Kant, the 18th-century German philosopher, has an excellent quote about hands. “The hand is the visible part of the brain,” he said. This phrase should be on the mind of every photographer who takes pictures of people.

Pay Attention to the Hands

Photographers tend to pay a lot of attention to the face, but sometimes pay little attention to body language, and even less toward their subject’s hands.

Here are some photography tips for shooting people in such a way that incorporates their hands, including do’s and don’ts.

posing hands near face

Photo by Trevor Cole

Don’t place a subject’s hand close to the face, unless it frames the face or provides context to the expression.

In the example photo above, the subject’s hand attracts as much visual attention as the face itself, if not more. This may have been a jewelry shoot to showcase her rings, but if the prominence of her hands was not intentional, then the effect is often distracting.

how to place hands in photos

Photo by David Alvarado

When appropriately positioned, and with good lighting, hands can accentuate a face. They can provide an eye-catching frame that forces a viewer’s eyes right toward the subject of the portrait.

hand in photos examples

From top: Photos by Hichem Dahmani and Allef Vinicius

Keep the hands close to, or parallel to, the body. Placing one or both hands closer to the camera than the rest of the body rarely works out—unless you’re going for a unique effect.

hands in pockets photos good or bad

Photo by Michael Afonso

It is equally important not to let your subject push their hands all the way into their pockets—they will simply disappear.

An old trick used by wedding photographers is to have a subject hook just their thumbs into their pockets, while leaving the rest of their hands hanging on the outside of their pants. Another option is to have the subject slide the last three fingers into the pocket while keeping the thumb and forefinger exposed.

You may be wondering, why place their hands in their pockets at all?

The reason is simple and mostly psychological: when photographing subjects who are uneasy or not used to being in front of the camera, giving them something to do with their hands will often relax them.

how to pose subjects hands in photos

Photo by Nick Karvounis

When posing the hands, you must also take into account the framing of your picture. Is it a headshot? Is it a half body shot? Maybe it is a full-figure shot? The placement of the hands will change based upon the amount of body you include in your picture.

This last example photo is a perfect use of hands in a portrait. Here’s why:

  1. They don’t distract from the subject’s face.
  2. The hand placement provides a balance to the composition by giving some shape and contrast against the dark coat in the lower part of the frame.
  3. The body language of the arms and hands matches the expression of the subject’s face.
  4. Her ring becomes a small focal point, helping to tell a story about the subject’s sense of style and perhaps her personality.

About the Author:
Kent DuFault is an author and photographer with over 35 years of experience. He’s currently the director of content at the online photography school, Photzy.

For Further Training, Deal Ending Soon:

Do you know what subject generally scares the daylights out of new photographers? Photographing people! This eBook is designed to help you become a master of portraits with insider secrets used by professionals and more. It contains 214 pages of in-depth easy learning packed with illustrations, case-studies and assignments to verify your knowledge. It is currently 82% off for Cyber Monday if you want to check it out. Also try the discount code CM20 at checkout for extra holiday savings.

portrait photography

The Art of Portrait Photography at 80% Off (Learn more)

Do you have lots of photographs of barns, fences, plates of food, and landscapes? But portraits – not so much? Don’t worry. We’ve all been in that same boat. Author, and professional photographer, Kent DuFault, has put over three decades of experience into this eBook. If it’s happened in a portrait session, it’s happened to him. His pain is your gain.

Deal found here: The Art of Portrait Photography at 82% Off


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PictureCorrect subscribers can also learn more today with our #1 bestseller: The Photography Tutorial eBook

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PictureCorrect.com: Interesting Photo of the Day: Northern Lights Over Norway Mountains

The allure of the Northern Lights draws visitors and photographers from all over the world to see them. In places like Norway where they are frequently viewed, photographers embark on a mission to capture the Northern Lights floating over beautiful scenery. For many photographers, it can be a time and money consuming process to research and plan a trip to view them. The Northern Lights are there on nights with solar activity, but can only be seen if the weather allows it. With the proper planning and equipment, you can capture shots like this. You just have to be able to hike wherever is necessary and endure some cold weather!

Northern Lights over Arctic mountains in Norway photographed

“The Arctic is the Perfect Place to go for a Vacation” by Tristan Todd (Via Imgur. Click image to see full size.)

Photographer Tristan Todd captured this stunning image of an Arctic mountain being illuminated by the Northern Lights in Norway. The intense colors and movement in this photograph add to the magical look of the Northern Lights. In order to put this piece together, he combined seven back-to-back exposures for the mountains and water and one for the sky. His camera settings for the 6 second foreground exposures were ISO 2500 and f/2.8 with a 24mm focal length.


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PictureCorrect.com: Landscape Photographer Shares His Creative Anxiety

Admit it: at least once in your life, you’ve told yourself your photography isn’t good enough. Well, you’re not alone. This is a sort of phase that most photographers go through, like a constant rollercoaster of our love-hate relationship with the art. If you come across these thoughts frequently, you’ll love what we’ve got for you: photographer and filmmaker Adam Karnacz shares the experience he had with such feelings while he was out on a photoshoot:

It’s quite surprising to see that someone with Karnacz’s skills and experience admit to having no idea what they’re doing. But, honestly, it’s a totally normal thing to feel. Landscape photographers are mostly under the mercy of Mother Nature. When weather conditions are working against us, there’s nothing we can do but try and make the most out of the situation instead of completely losing hope.

As Karnacz stresses in the video, keep in mind that you don’t need to create a masterpiece every time you go out with your camera. This kind of thought process builds up internal pressure and will only stress you out. It’s okay if your photos turn out mediocre sometimes. Learn to appreciate the conditions you get to work in. This will improve not only your photography in the long run, but also your mental health along the way.

“Just take in that breath that we kind of all need. Accept what happens and try to press forward.”

Do you ever feel like you’re a bad photographer? If so, be sure to watch the complete video. You’ll get an idea of how a professional photographer handles these same situations and works to overcome them.


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sunnuntai 29. marraskuuta 2020

PictureCorrect.com: Cyber Monday for Photographers

cyber-monday-photographyCyber Monday is typically the busiest day of the year for online shopping and this year is expected to be the biggest ever. Hope you aren’t fatigued from Black Friday because the great deals keep coming.

There are indeed some incredible photography offers today.

Here is a comprehensive list of the best Cyber Monday deals we found (some of them are new and some are discounts still going on from Black Friday). Many of them expire at midnight so don’t miss them!

topaz photography

For the photos where exceptional quality matters. Get all 6 Topaz AI products and Topaz Studio 2 for the lowest price of the year.

Training bootcamp for your camera bag. A new selection of 20 printable key photography cheatsheets specifically refined from the full collection.

photo-book

Over 250 pages of insider tips & tutorials on how to take better landscapes, cityscapes, and advanced trick photography such as long exposure light painting. 10 presets included.

Offers everything a modern photographer needs for photo editing, including new filters powered by artificial intelligence.

iPhone Photo Academy is an in-depth online course that will show you how to take incredible iPhone photos.

In-depth guide with easy-to-apply secrets to get sharper, clearer, more vibrant photos with crisp detail each and every time.

Give your photography a huge boost. Go from the essentials to creative shooting with your DSLR or mirrorless camera.

This total editing solution for your landscapes includes 84 presets and 25 brushes to enhance various types of landscapes.

A premium collection of over 100 presets designed and developed specifically for landscape photographers but any photographer can benefit.

dslr crash course

Takes you by the hand and leads you step-by-step in discovering photography skills using your DSLR.

By following a proven ‘recipe’ you can quickly improve your photography skills and gain the confidence to capture professional results.

How to capture the world’s hidden beauty with macro photography using basic gear and at-home setups through in-depth video tutorials.

fundamental photo editing

Digital photography is so intrinsically tied to the editing process that you can’t really consider doing one without doing the other.

How to take magazine-quality pictures of the night sky without being a pro photographer and without fancy equipment.

photographing flowers

An in-depth eBook offering a step-by-step method for shooting delicate, gorgeous, & perfectly lit flower photographs.

This book will show you how to use Lightroom Classic to its full potential through teaching you the basic premises of the software.

Provides numerous tools and countless options to create perfect HDR photos for every taste – from one-click presets to advanced tone-mapping.

Serge Ramelli is a photography educator with many leading in-depth courses. He is currently discounting them for Thanksgiving.

photo action cards

Printable project sheets that will give you over 200 photography assignments, covering everything you can imagine.

lightroom made easy

Master the Lightroom skills and secret pro tricks that will transform your photos today. By this time tomorrow you could be a Lightroom expert.

contrastly lightroom

The 1,100+ Lightroom presets included in the Complete Lightroom Presets Bundle were designed by and for photographers.

You can study them at home or print and slip them into your camera bag (or load them onto your phone or tablet), for a full-sized guide on-the-go.

One of the most important photo editing skills to learn is called “Masking” and a new in-depth guide was just released to help photographers master it.

photograph-fireworks

Fireworks photography is indeed one of the most daunting types of photography. This eBook explains the process from start to finish.

adorama

Serving customers for more than 35 years, Adorama has grown from its flagship NYC store to include the leading online destination for photography.

photoshop basics

In this course you get the stuff you absolutely must know, the techniques that you’ll use on every photo, day after day, to turn out beautiful, professional-looking work.

Aims to transform your photography into whimsical, jaw-dropping images that just cannot be created in any other manner.

bh photo video holiday

B&H is world renown as the place to go for all your photo, video, pro audio and digital imaging needs.

event photography

Designed to teach photographers the techniques used by professionals to get great photos – every time – even in the most difficult conditions.

understanding-light

This popular guide is meant to give you an understanding of how light works, and how you can manipulate it. Marked down to just $9, it’s never been priced this low.

light-guide

Study this eBook, and you’ll become a master of light. It is carefully crafted and designed to give you the ability to recognize, control, and harness LIGHT.

advanced-composition

Create truly visually stunning images that tell your story, express your vision, and captivate any audience.

landscape-guide

237 pages jam-packed with training, illustrations, and assignments. Get ready to absolutely transform your landscape work…

How to use shutter speed to not merely capture what your eyes see…but create what your mind imagines.

contrastly-photoshop

Create gorgeous photographs quickly and easily. The 135 Photoshop actions in this bundle were carefully crafted to make the lives of photographers easier.

cameras-ebook

In this ebook you will learn not only how to capture a strong photograph, but also how to develop the images to match your unique vision.

Pictures so striking and vibrant that others might accuse you of outsourcing your processing to a professional.

natural light course

You don’t need to spend more money on gear. You don’t need assistants. The most powerful tool is free. That tool is natural light.

What if you could create awe-inspiring time-lapse movies, without having to invest in expensive equipment or software… would that make it more accessible to you?

A premium collection of 50 presets designed and developed specifically for street photographers but any photographer can benefit.

One of the most common misconceptions about creative photography is the need for a bunch of fancy gear.

Do you want a simple way to capture real estate photography that books viewings fast? How to capture photos that rent and sell properties at higher prices.

Organic marketing course for photographers. How to rank your website, outrank your competitors, and get more clients organically.


Go to full article: Cyber Monday for Photographers

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PictureCorrect subscribers can also learn more today with our #1 bestseller: The Photography Tutorial eBook

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